


Wait For Me

by iloveromance



Category: American Graffiti (1973)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-07 05:39:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13427937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveromance/pseuds/iloveromance
Summary: An AU expanded rewrite of my favorite scene from the film; Fourteen year-old Carol is hurt and embarrassed when John Milner passes her off as his cousin. But John makes amends in a way that she could never have imagined, and she finds herself wishing that she was older.





	Wait For Me

**Author's Note:**

> I know there are a few references to rape in this story and I absolutely do not condone it! That being said, no acts of rape actually take place in this story. I merely included mentions of it because of the dialogue in the movie where Carol is constantly threatening to accuse John of rape and I thought it was funny. I mean no offense to anyone and I sincerely appreciate all kudos and comments. Thank you for reading!

As Carol sat in John Milner's yellow Deuce Coupe, she felt much older than her young age of fourteen. And when he pulled into a parking space at Mel's Drive In and bought her a ten-cent Coke with ice, she could almost imagine that she was on a real date. It was a scenario that she'd imagined hundreds of times before, but this was as close as she'd gotten to reality.

Her older sister Judy was always out on a date and it was no secret that Judy resented having Carol for a little sister. It wasn't fair. Carol couldn't help it that she was born three years later. If she had her choice, she'd be the older sister-or an only child. The latter option was looking better and better all the time.

But as it were, she was stuck in a car with some of Judy's obnoxious friends-creepy stuck-up girls who wished that Carol would disappear from the planet-on a Saturday night. It wasn't fair.

She had better things to do with her Saturdays nights; like watching the Beach Boys on American Bandstand. They were a brand-new singing group and they were so boss! Not to mention that Brian Wilson was completely dreamy.

As fate would have it, they were stopped at a traffic light when a guy in a yellow Deuce Coupe pulled up beside them. Of course he was immediately taken with Judy and wanted to know all about her. Carol couldn't believe it when Judy actually told the guy that she was going steady! And in an even bigger surprise, the guy didn't believe her and practically begged her to send someone to ride with him.

Carol didn't hesitate to volunteer, which made Judy's friends roar with laughter. But Carol didn't know what they found so funny. And John Milner certainly didn't find it funny in the least. In fact, he despised the fact that Carol was even in his car.

But he was a jerk anyway, with his slicked back hair, jeans and the stupid way he hid his pack of cigarettes in the rolled up sleeve of his white t-shirt. And somehow over the course of the evening, he warmed up to her, even going so far as to defend her when a creepy cowboy guy challenged him to a race.

Her parents would have been furious if they had known that she was riding in a car with a guy who was much too old for her, not to mention that he was driving speed that were well above the legal limit. And Dee Dee would be green with envy when she found out.

But now, as she walked alone down the sidewalk, she realized what a spastic creep John Milner really was. As the cars passed by, she could hear Wolfman Jack's distinctive voice announcing songs, taking calls and saying things that would make her parents cringe.

However, it was hard to pay attention when all she could think of was the way John had humiliated her in front of his stupid friend Al and that obnoxious woman Linda. He actually seemed embarrassed that she was in the car with him and pathetically announced that he was babysitting... his cousin!

The fact that it hurt was beside the point, but she didn't care. He was a spastic creep who could take his pack of cigarettes and... Well... it didn't matter what he did with them as long as he stayed far away.

Her arms folded across her chest, Carol walked along the sidewalk, pretending that she didn't hear the cat calls and the laughter of the pathetic kids that passed by. But it was nearly impossible to hide the tears that slid down her cheeks. She was grateful for the darkness and prayed that no one noticed. Crying was for babies and Judy and her friends would surely see her tears as a big joke.

But it seemed that her life had become just that; a big joke. The tears fell faster and she hung her head low, making no effort to brush them away. She was sure that she looked pathetic but she was certain that no one cared.

Without meaning to, she looked behind her, catching a glimpse of the yellow Deuce Coupe in the distance. She was sure that John had wasted no time in finding another pathetic soul to ride in his stupid car. Well, who needed him? She sure didn't.

She walked faster and faster, wanting to get home, away from the chaos and the memories. But when she saw the Deuce Coupe pull up beside her, she sighed with annoyance and found it hard to stare straight ahead.

"Hey!" She heard John yelling as he slowed the car to match her pace. And once more she forced herself to ignore him.

"Hey Kid! I'm talking to you!" He yelled again.

And still she kept walking.

"What in the hell are you doing?"

"Leave me alone!" she yelled back. "I don't need you! I don't need anyone!"

He reached over and pushed the door open. "Get in!"

"No!"

"Come on, damn it! Get in! You wanna get raped or something?"

"It'd be better than sitting in your ugly car, you spastic creep!"

"Fine! Have it your way!"

The Deuce Coupe gave an ear-piercing screech as it peeled out from the curb, and unable to control her tears any longer, she stopped in her tracks, sobbing into her hands.

She'd barely walked a few feet when she saw the Deuce Coupe come to a screeching halt and then forcefully back up.

"Hey look..." John said, leaning toward the passenger side. "I'm sorry. I mean it. I'm sorry. So... Don't cry. Just get in and I'll take you home, okay?"

She stared at him with uncertainty until he sighed deeply. "Come on!"

Reluctantly she climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door. She stared out of the window, not wanting him to see her pathetic tears, but she could feel him watching her as they peeled out onto the street.

"Aw hell..." He muttered, pulling into a dimly lit hardware store parking lot. And when he turned to face her, she began to fear the worst. Oh God, he really was going to rape her!

She knew she shouldn't have made those jokes about accusing him of such a horrible act. Instantly her mind raced, remembering all the times she'd seen stories on the news about girls who disappeared, only to be found years later-victims of rape and murder. She could just imagine what her parents would think when they saw her face on the evening news. And Dee Dee...

"W-why are you looking at me like that?" She asked; her voice quivering and her heart racing so fast she could hardly breathe. She moved away from him, pushing her back against the door and tears streamed down her cheeks, but she no longer cared. She didn't care about him, didn't care about anything. If he wanted to rape her, then so be it. Nobody liked her anyway.

"Carol, I'm not going to hurt you, I swear it. I just..."

"What?"

"I'm sorry, okay?"

Carol sniffled and crossed her arms in front of her body. "Sorry for what?"

John rolled his eyes. "Jesus, Carol-."

"Say it, or I'll yell rape!" She threatened. "I swear it this time!"

Again he rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings and pretending that you're my cousin, okay? I was just-."

"Embarrassed?"

"Well... Yeah... I mean... Al was there and..."

To Carol's amazement, John's expression softened and he looked almost... sincere.

"And what?"

"He's a jerk anyway, and I shouldn't have said what I did. You're a great kid, Carol."  
With a sigh, she cast her eyes downward.

"What? What'd I say?"

"That I'm a kid!"

He opened his mouth to speak but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"John, do you like me?"

"Aw Carol we've already been over this!"

"I knew you hated me!"

"I don't hate you!"

"But you don't like me."

"Sure I do! It's just that you're..."

"Too young?"

"Well... yeah."

"It's so unfair! Why can't I be older like Judy? I want a boy to find me attractive! I'm just plain and dull and no one will ever like me!"

"Sure they will!" John said. "And when you're older, I bet you'll have lots of boyfriends!"

"Yeah right..."

"In fact, you'll have so many, you'll be beating them off with a stick!"

"You're just saying that."

He stared at her for a moment. "No, I'm not. You're... Well, you're very pretty Carol. And if you were a few years older..."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing and her heart began to race, the way it did after she finished running laps in gym class. But she wasn't running now...

"Y-you mean, you'd want me to be your girlfriend?"

John shrugged. "Well, yeah. I mean-."

But his words were stopped by her mouth on his. She could hardly believe what she was doing, and to her amazement, she found that kissing a boy wasn't nearly as gross as she had imagined.

In fact it was kind of... nice.

And she couldn't be sure but she could swear that he enjoyed kissing her too. When he drew back, he stared at her in utter disbelief, her cheeks flushed fiercely.

"Nobody has to know about this, okay?" she whispered feeling only the slightest bit of guilt.

He ran his hand across his mouth. "Um... Yeah... that's a good idea. Look, why don't I take you home now?"

"Sure. I live at 231 Ramona Street."

They drove in silence until they reached her house and she climbed out of the car, strangely wishing she could stay with him a little longer.

"Well... Thank you for... Um... Just... thank you."

"Sure."

She turned and ran to her front door but then stopped and turned around, grateful to find that he was still sitting in front of her house.

"John?"

"Yeah?"

She swallowed hard, unable to believe what she was about to say.

"Will you do me a favor?"

"I guess. What is it?"

"Wait for me?"

"What are you talking about?"

She walked around the car and smiled at him through the open window.

"I won't be fourteen forever."

With a smile she kissed his cheek and ran into her house.

She could hardly wait to grow up.

The End


End file.
